Chapter 655: The World Invests in You; It Has Nothing to Do with You
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 655: The World Invests in You; It Has Nothing to Do with You
The Expansion Realm.
Inside the Calamity Tavern.
"A... a Luck Alchemist?" I looked at the beautiful witch standing before me and let out a small sigh of relief. "Um... hello, Sister Teryx. My name is Yang Yuehan. You can just call me Xiao Han."
"Mhm~ I’ve heard that name before."
"I was wondering, Sister Teryx, is there a particular reason you sought me out so suddenly?" Her tone was unhurried, making it hard to guess her intentions, so I probed cautiously.
"Many things happen without much of a reason. For instance, I suddenly found myself with some free time, heard about an interesting little fellow, and decided to come take a look~"
"Uh... Sister Teryx, won't the other academies notice you coming to the Expansion Realm?" After all, the Expansion Realm was currently the students' home field. Aside from Mentor Elena, who was acting as the Resurrection Mentor in Ninglan New City, all other mentors—including those from other academies—were only here as powerless clones.
"Xiao Han, why are you worrying about such trifles? As long as one isn't caught, one was never here. It’s a very simple logic." Teryx spoke dismissively, her fingers toyed with a strand of Luck Thread. "But let’s get back to the point. Xiao Han, what do you think this is in my hand?"
"A... Luck Thread?"
"Smart. It is a specific type of Luck Thread, distinct from raw Luck."
Teryx smiled and praised me as if she were coaxing a child. "Do you know why Luck condenses into threads?"
"I... I don't know. I’ve never really thought about it..." I said, shaking my head.
However, sparked by Sister Teryx’s prompt, my mind began to race. Why did Luck manifest as threads?
Ever since my mastery over the Spirit Vision talent had deepened, I had observed that at a more fundamental level, Luck wasn't a thread at all, but a form of invisible "airflow." That was, in fact, the origin of my Qi Observation Art.
"Not knowing is perfectly fine. I like honest children. Since you don't know, I’ll tell you: Luck can be transformed and condensed into Luck Threads through a specific technique. And the entity most skilled in this technique... is the World Consciousness."
"World Consciousness..." Hearing this explanation, another question immediately sprang to mind. I asked without hesitation, "Does the World Consciousness also possess a technique to transform World Origin Soil?"
"Hmm?" Even Teryx blinked in surprise for a second, as if she couldn't quite follow my train of thought. "That question... I don't actually know much about that. I can only give you a vague answer. Perhaps? It’s outside my field of research."
"Right... sorry. The thought just popped into my head."
"It’s fine. I’ve heard of World Origin Soil—a stubborn material that only a world itself can transform and utilize. It might very well be an instinctive technique of the World Consciousness. But as you know, I am a Luck Alchemist, so I am only intimately familiar with concepts and techniques related to Luck. I heard that you, Xiao Han, have also made some achievements in the field of Luck. For example... the Qi Observation Art."
"That... the Qi Observation Art probably doesn't count for much..."
"It is a simple, unadorned technique, yet its effects are heaven-defying," Teryx interrupted. "Such a modest child. Even if you relied on the shortcut of your Spirit Vision talent, it is a shortcut that only you can take. Xiao Han, are you interested in becoming a Luck Alchemist?"
"Uh... not really..." I shook my head. Luck hadn't left a very good first impression on me, so I followed my heart and expressed my lack of interest.
"What a pity... especially since you once possessed a Luck Seed and even tried to destroy it with your own hands... You should be the child most suited for this path." Teryx sighed slightly at my attitude. "But I can guess why. You didn't have a great impression of the concept when you first encountered it, did you? I have to admit, sometimes the World Consciousness misjudges things. She has so many children, after all."
"Yeah... maybe..." I nodded in agreement.
"So, Xiao Han, do you think you’ve truly escaped the interference of Luck?"
"Uh... there’s probably still some left..." I glanced at the Luck Threads wound around me. There weren't many; I had cleared them before leaving for my trial, but I had picked up a few more since then.
"I’m not talking about Luck Threads~"
Teryx smiled at me. "Remember what I just said? There are still traces of the Luck Seed left on you."
"But... didn't I already destroy the Luck Seed? And I severed the Ley Line Shackles..."
"Severing the Ley Line Shackles... what does that have to do with Luck?" Teryx countered.
"Uh... that’s what Sister Mei told me..."
"Mei... she really dares to teach people when she understands nothing. Ley Line Shackles belong to the River of Ley Lines, while Luck belongs to the tributaries of Luck. How could two completely unrelated things affect each other?"
"Uh... tributaries of Luck?"
"You didn't know?"
"Should I have?"
"It seems you haven't heard of it... Then, Xiao Han, do you know of the Three Great Rivers of the Void?"
"Uh... I think I have some impression of them. The River of Ley Lines should be one of them." I searched my memory and eventually found some records within the Tree of Great Knowledge.
"Correct. The River of Ley Lines spans the entire Void; it is the most prominent river, and worlds are the fruits it bears."
"Is the River of Luck one of them as well?"
"No. The other two are the River of Time, which carries time and light and is closely related to Real Time, and the River of Causality—the river I am most familiar with, yet also the one I know the least."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because the Void cannot observe any physical traces of the River of Causality. We can only infer its existence through its tributaries, which are the tributaries of Luck—also known as the River of Luck. I am familiar with it because I deal with the concept constantly, but I don't truly know it because we have never touched the entity itself."
"This is the first time I’ve heard of this."
"How is it? Simply chatting with me can broaden your horizons quite a bit, can't it? Not much of this information is recorded in the academy's library."
"Yes. Thank you, Teryx, for explaining all this to me..."
"Then, Xiao Han, have you still not realized? Perhaps you haven't escaped the influence of Luck at all."
Teryx spoke with an expectant look, waiting to see what kind of expression I would make.
"It seems so..."
"Not a hint of surprise. You’re quite calm. Or are you just bad at expressing yourself?"
"Probably the latter..." I replied.
While I wasn't sure how to answer, I also couldn't figure out why this witch had suddenly sought me out. Was she the type who was bad at small talk and easily got sidetracked?
Probably... not.
As I was thinking, Teryx reached out. Guided by a strand of refined mental power, a force passed through my body. The power was gentle and non-aggressive. Under my Spirit Vision, the faint specks of light took the form of unique runes.
While I was shocked by this method of turning loose mana into mist—where every gathered speck of light was condensed into a runic sigil—Teryx seemed to pull something out from within me.
"It was hidden quite deep. Do you remember what this is?" Teryx’s gaze focused on my face.
At that moment, she finally saw a look of shock on my otherwise expressionless face.
"A Luck Seed?"
"Yes. Curious why it’s still here?"
"Yes, I am." Recovering from my shock, I nodded immediately.
"Because the world invests in you; it has nothing to do with you."
"..."
Hearing Sister Teryx state this truth so nonchalantly made me instantly think of Qiu Ruxin. Wasn't her situation in that small world exactly the same?
The world chose her, and it had nothing to do with her.
The point was what benefit the world could gain.
"I can help you get rid of it for free. No charge at all. What do you say?" Seeing me dazed, Teryx immediately dropped her previous persona and adopted a negotiating tone.
"Okay..." I nodded, as if agreeing to a very ordinary transaction. "But... not long ago, I heard another witch sister say that Luck is also a resource..."
"Fine... I’ll begrudgingly take back the word 'free.' Do you still want to proceed?" Teryx didn't show a hint of embarrassment, as if she had done this many times before.
"Of course..." I managed a smile. "But I think, Sister Teryx, rather than being a Luck Alchemist, you’re better suited to be a Luck Merchant. I know a few friends who might need your services. Like Tan Han..."
"Xiao Han, you say the most interesting things. As for Tan Han, that little sister... she is already one of my clients~"
"..." At that moment, I admitted I was far too naive.
After the initial shock passed, I looked at Sister Teryx again.
The higher I stood, the more I felt that the "Script" was nothing more than a clown for people to toy with.
Some witches took it very seriously, some held it in contempt, some laid traps to harvest it, and some... like the one before me, utilized it, trading Luck as a resource.
I had to admit, Transcendent Witches were truly free...
"I get the feeling you’re worrying about things you don't need to be concerned with, Xiao Han." Teryx rested her chin on her other hand, looking at me with great interest. "Are you worried that my toying with Luck will lead to bad consequences?"
"Maybe..."
"Would you like to hear my philosophy and thoughts regarding Luck?" Seeing me admit it, Teryx stopped being evasive and prepared to explain. "Of course, this only represents my own view. Hearing a perspective completely different from your own can help you think about the right and wrong of a situation from more angles."
"Of course. I’ll be a good listener."
"Then I shall begin." Teryx was pleased with my answer. "Hmm... let’s start with a general overview."
"World Consciousness, Luck, the Script, and the Child of Destiny—these concepts form a self-consistent and independently operating world system. Together, they maintain the balance and harmony of that world. In this system, every component is vital; they are interdependent and work together to ensure the stability and development of order."
"The Script serves as a mechanism for the universe’s self-salvation, the elimination of potential threats, and the promotion of a world’s advancement. This is achieved through the resource known as Luck."
"And the Child of Destiny, as the key character in the Script, carries the heavy responsibility of driving the world’s development and change. Their actions and choices often determine the direction of the entire world."
"How is it? Everything sounds wonderful, doesn't it? The logic is perfectly sound."
"Yes." I nodded, withholding my own opinion.
"But to me, this is nothing more than a preconceived, stagnant mindset—a piece of dross that allows things to run inefficiently." Teryx’s tone shifted as she began her critique.
"Luck is clearly capable of so much more, yet the world merely uses it to weave Luck Threads, manipulating people like puppets to endlessly repeat the cycles of the Script. It creates Children of Destiny, and once the Script’s ritual is complete, it promotes them to 'Destined' status to feed back into the world."
"The Main World follows this model. But in my view... since we witches have arrived here, and we possess far more efficient means, why should we settle for such a model?"
"The World Consciousness could completely use Luck as a resource to trade with us. We help her complete her self-salvation, just like what we are doing now—repairing the Expansion Realm."
"We can also help the world eliminate unstable factors. This is also something we’ve always done—the vetting of Transcendents entering the Main World and the strict control over their maximum numbers."
"In the future, once the repairs from the Main World to the Void Frontline World are complete, we can even help the Main World ascend to a higher level..."
"Xiao Han, do you think this is a win-win situation?"
"Yes..." I nodded in agreement, while suppressing the urge to voice my own thoughts.
In truth, this was more of a question of perspective—a simple matter of 'might makes right.' The witches' attitude toward the Main World was a "this is for your own good" stance from a higher vantage point.
But the world might not actually want it...
Should I call the witches arrogant?
But they had the strength to back it up.
They could have easily treated the world as a resource to be seized, yet they still treated it as an independent entity to be reasoned with.
Perhaps the conflict arose from "mercy." If they had treated the world as a resource unworthy of conversation from the start, these troublesome disagreements and reflections wouldn't exist.
Of course, the reason I was thinking this was mainly because Teryx’s earlier words—"Because the world invests in you; it has nothing to do with you"—had struck a chord.
"I knew you weren't the kind of stubborn little witch who clings to her own views, Xiao Han."
Seeing that I agreed with her, Teryx excitedly told me many things, many of which I had never known.
For instance, the upcoming College Entrance Exam was merely a ritual to harvest Luck. By dispersing the shares of Luck, it prevented the World Consciousness from generating Luck Seeds, thereby ensuring that Scripts wouldn't be triggered frequently.
Tan Han, from my year, was an exception. Because she achieved the feat of being a full-score Top Scorer, the Luck-diversion ritual of the exam actually triggered the unfolding of a Script...
It could be said that much of what I learned from Sister Teryx overturned the information I had previously received from Dean Mei, Grade Director Lina, and Teacher Ji Niang.
However, I maintained a healthy skepticism toward Sister Teryx’s words as well. In short, one shouldn't blindly believe everything a witch says; one must maintain their own independent thought.
"That was a truly refreshing talk~ Though you didn't say much, Xiao Han, you are indeed an excellent listener. Now then, it’s time to deal with your Luck Seed problem."
"Do you need me to do anything?"
"Of course~ Luck is your anchor to this world. To completely give up the Luck Seed, in addition to what I do with Luck Alchemy, you must also completely sever your obsessions with this world."
"Obsessions?"
"Mhm~ They might be unforgettable, nostalgic, or impossible to let go of. They might be things you're ashamed to remember, or... things you're afraid to face. Xiao Han, you should have your answer by now, right?"
"..."
"I cannot take your Luck Seed before then, but I can use Luck Alchemy to give you a little help." Teryx smiled and gripped the Luck Seed. When she opened her hand again, the seed had been replaced by... a coin.
"A little trick of alchemy. It’s called... the Choice of Fate. It can help you make one fateful decision. I hope it helps you~" Teryx said, tossing the heavy, textured coin to me.